This is a great question because many patients don’t realize that a lot can be done at a Chiropractor’s office for a torn rotator cuff, if it isn’t too advanced. Most of the time it is only a partial tear, especially in younger patients. However, it is often so sore you might think your arm is going to fall off. Do you find it difficult to reach the top of your head…or worse to lift your water glass? Is it too sore to sleep on your side?
Step one: regaining flexibility or range of motion. Some gentle stretches, trigger point work, or release therapy can help. Adjustments are often the missing part of other well meaning treatment types. IF an adjustment is needed, nothing else will be as effective. In the neck, the nerves may be pinched or irritated to the shoulder and cause the muscles to be stiff, sore and weak. Adjusting the neck will help a great deal. Also the shoulder itself is made up of three joints that can all be adjusted. If they are stiff, an adjustment may be just what they need.
Step two: once we get the flexibility back to near normal, it’s time to work on strengthening. The following exercise is perfect for strengthening weak rotator cuff muscles. Caution; it should not be done if it is painful! Go back to step one if it is too sore. If it’s not painful, then start with one pound weights for females and two or five pounds for males. Do 8 to 10 repetitions for one or two sets maximum. Gradually work your way up to higher reps of 12 to 15, then heavier weights of five to twenty pounds.
Rotator Cuff Strengthening